Confidence in Arthritis Self-Management Correlates Positively with Prior Access to Educational Resources and Negatively with Financial and Access Barriers

Objectives To identify demographic, clinical, and educational factors associated with confidence in self-management among individuals living with inflammatory arthritis. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey in Quebec of 410 participants with inflammatory arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis (61.5%), spondyloarthritis (13.4%), psoriatic arthritis (9.0%), systemic lupus erythematosus (7.3%), and other (8.3%). The primary self-reported outcome was confidence in managing arthritis, categorized as: confident (very/somewhat), neutral, or unconfident (very/somewhat). Potential correlates included sociodemographic characteristics, disease duration, prior use of educational resources, reported barriers to education, and preferred modes of learning. We assessed possible associations of these factors with confidence using multivariate ordered logistic regression. Results Participants were predominantly middle aged (mean ± SD: 49.6 ± 18.8 years) female (73%) residing in urban areas (87%) with established arthritis (78% >5 years). Overall, 48% of respondents reported being very confident, 32% somewhat confident, 12% neutral, and 7% somewhat or very unconfident in their ability to manage their condition. The majority (81%) reported at least 1 barrier to accessing or understanding educational materials, most commonly lack of time (31%) and complexity of information (25%). In the multivariable model, prior access to educational resources and preference for online resources as a primary mode of learning were strongly associated with higher confidence in self-management (adjusted OR 2.91, 95% CI 1.29-7.84 and 2.05, 95% CI 1.20-3.52, respectively). Conversely, financial or access-related barriers were negatively associated with higher confidence (adjusted OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.31-0.99). Sex, age, residence, primary language, disease duration, and rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis were not significantly associated with confidence in arthritis self-management. Conclusion Prior exposure to educational materials and preference for online learning platforms was associated with confidence in arthritis self-management. In contrast, financial and access barriers negatively correlate with confidence. These findings highlight the importance of improving equitable access to patient education and tailoring delivery formats to align with patient preferences.